2,24 Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
Muueurun'di Petroleum Oil Cannel Coal Land. 
(Prospected previous to 1874.) 
A seam of petroleum oil cannel coal was, previous to 1874, 
opened out at Colley Creek, about 130 miles north-west from 
Newcastle, and a few miles distant from the Northern Pail way 
now being constructed past Murrurundi. 
Where opened out and examined by me in November, 1872, it 
was 1 ft. 2 in. of rich petroleum oil cannel coal, equal to the best 
Hartley, but with a very heavy dip. 
Shale and sandstone. ft. in. 
Coarse coal 1 2 
Band ^ 
Coal 1 ^ 
Indurated clay 0 2 
Coal 4 5 
Indurated clay 0 9 
Coal 0 10 
Total thickness ... 8 10^ 
Sandstone and shale. 
This represents the 8 feet 10 inches seam of coal now 
being worked and reopened out by IMessrs. O Prien and Curlewis, 
at the AVoodford Colliery. (See M on plan No. 1.) A short tram- 
way connects the mine with the Great Northern Pailway, at a 
distance of 14 miles from the Newcastle Harbour. There are 
several shafts sunk on the property, and two seams of coal are 
worked, one 5 feet 0 inches in thickness, and a lower seam, the 
one above described, 8 feet 10 inches thick. It is a splint and 
bituminous coal, suitable for household, steam, smelting, gas, 
and blacksmith purposes ; the samples I have tested giving an 
average specilic gravity ol 1'3. The coal and strata dip about 1 in 
25 to the south-east. 
Messrs. O’Brien and Curlewis are the proprietors, and manage 
the colliery themselves. 
